1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved rocking seat design and construction. In particular, the present invention relates to therapeutic seat design and constructions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, posture chairs and various seat configurations used as an integral part of the posture chair are known in the prior art. One of the inventors of the present invention is Joseph A. Berg and is a pioneer in having developed and patented several seating arrangements which have helped to provide greater comfort to individuals as they sit on a seat. The following patents have been issued to either inventor Joseph A. Berg individually or to co-inventors Joseph A. Berg and Loren W. Eames.
1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,323 issued Joseph A. Berg on Jul. 16, 1957 for "Self-Aligning Seat Construction" (hereafter "the '323 Patent").
2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,195 issued Joseph A. Berg on Mar. 5, 1963 for "Self-Aligning Seat Construction" (hereafter "the '195 Patent").
3. U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,442 issued Joseph A. Berg and Loren W. Eames on Jul. 31, 1973 for "Seat Having Relatively Adjustable Sections" (hereafter "the '442 Patent").
4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,757 issued Joseph A. Berg and Loren W. Eames on Sep. 13, 1977 for "Seating Structures With Flexible Backs" (hereafter "the '757 Patent").
5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,485 issued Joseph A. Berg and Loren W. Eames on Jun. 18, 1991 for "Front And Back Adjustable Rocking Seat Support Arrangement For Seat Having Relatively Adjustable Sections" (hereafter "the '485 Patent").
In each of these Patents, the object was to provide a seat construction which readily responded to or accommodated itself to the position of the body of the person occupying it. The object was to provide a seat which was self-aligning and which was so constructed that it allowed each side of the body of the occupant of the seat to move normally and independently of the other without restraint.
The '323 Patent discloses a seat having two separate halves. Each half is supported independently by coil spring members mounted between the seat half and the base plate.
The '195 Patent discloses an improvement over the '323 Patent. The seat disclosed in the '195 Patent also includes two separate independent halves. Each half is supported by a resilient cushioning pad placed underneath the seat half.
The '757 Patent discloses a seat unit having a flexible seat back. The seat back is separated into two halves to support a user's back at opposite sides of the user's spine.
The '422 Patent discloses an improvement over the '323 Patent and the '195 Patent. Each seat half of the '422 Patent is supported by a universal joint support which allows the seat half to be rocked. Each seat half further comprises a localized recess offset rearwardly from the universal joint for receiving the ischial tuberosity bones of the user of the seat.
The '485 Patent discloses an improvement over the '442 Patent. The improvement of the '485 Patent comprises a seat rocking means such as a cylindrical rod affixed to the lower portion of each seat half and a pair of spaced apart resilient receiving means for each seat half to movably and rotatably support a seat half on the base of the seat. The improvement restricts the movement of each separate seat section to move only back and forth in a longitudinal rocking motion as compared to the universal movement of the '442 Patent.
The seat having adjustable sections as disclosed and claimed in the '485 Patent had many beneficial effects. However, one disadvantage of the '485 Patent is that it has too many mechanical moving components and it is therefore too expensive to manufacture. Another disadvantage of the '485 Patent is that an adjustable device has to be used to limit the amount of front rocking motion. The adjustable device was created for that purpose only and it adds additional mechanical requirements. Therefore, to correct this problem with the seating arrangement disclosed in the '485 Patent, it is necessary to eliminate the adjustable device and also to reduce the mechanical components on the seating arrangement. Another purpose is to reduce the cost in manufacturing the seating arrangement for the consumer sector.
Various other posture seating and seat arrangements are known in the prior art and the following patents are representative of such arrangements:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 633,087 issued to Johnson on Sep. 12, 1899 for "Chair" (hereafter "the Johnson Patent").
2. U.S. Pat. No. 1,990,661 issued to Middleton on Feb. 12, 1935 for "Vehicle Seat" (hereafter "the Middleton Patent").
3. U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,941 issued to Grosfillex on Jul. 23, 1968 for "Article For Seating Furniture" (hereafter "the Grosfillex Patent").
4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,699 issued to Dungan on May 20, 1986 for "Sit-Kneel Chair" (hereafter "the Dungan Patent").
5. German Patent Publication No. 35 13 985 A1 published on Oct. 30, 1986 for "Tilting Chair Providing Back Pressure Relief" (hereafter "the German Patent").
The Middleton Patent discloses a vehicle seat and is of interest as being disposed upon a multiplicity of spherical members. However, the spherical members do not have a front and back locking and rocking arrangement.
The Dungan Patent is for the well known sit-kneel chair and discloses a pivotally mounted seat. However, movement is dependant upon a single bolt as opposed to the sphere and pin locking and rocking arrangement.
The Johnson Patent discloses a rocking chair including a seat which may tilt forward and rearward. However, the mechanism which consists of an arc shape support block is different than the present invention arrangement.
The Grosfillex Patent discloses a seat construction. The seat is supported on the leg frame by a pair of front hook devices and a rear clamping device.
Finally, the German Patent discloses a tilting chair of interest with respect to the ball. However, the tilting is performed by a spring and not by a locking and rocking arrangement.
Therefore, there is a need for an improvement on the rocking means of the seat having relatively adjustable sections as disclosed in the '485 Patent which will permit each of the seat halves to move independently of each other but in a modified manner.